The Next Temujai Invasion
by WillsFirstApprentice333
Summary: Will,Halt, Gilan and Horace travel to Skandia to help Erak plan a war, AGAIN. Note the is set before the events in the seventh book. Rated because I can't decide to kill a character or not.
1. Chapter 1

I thought I'd try this, really not sure how this will turn out but you'll never know until you try.

Will and Halt were sitting in the tent area of the gathering grounds. Gilan was off supervising apprentices on unseen movement and Crowley was off planning activities for the next day. Will and Halt were talking about Wills earlier assessment.

"You did well Will, stop worrying" Halt said to the pacing apprentice.

"But what if I didn't? What if I failed?"

"Then you would spend an extra year with me going over what you messed up. It's not such a big deal." Halt said passing him a cup of coffee.

"Oh okay." Will said calming down and accepting the cup of coffee.

Although Halt hated to admit it he was already a better shot than Crowley and Gilan and most likely him as well. Will didn't know his own skills and always doubted himself that was something Halt was desperate to cure him of.

"Halt" Will warned as Crowley was walking up behind him looking grim. It was only when Crowley was sitting down with a cup of coffee that he decided to tell them why he was there.

"You have a mission I want you to take Gilan and Horace with you to Skandia they have requested assistance; apparently the Temujai are attacking again and they need a tactical team over there right away. Erak has requested you all. Yes even Gilan."

"Shouldn't you be waiting until Gilan gets back to back to brief us about this?" Will asked

"Gilan won't be back until after midnight when he gets back I will brief him separately but in the mean time I need you to prepare for the mission and then tomorrow morning you can depart for castle Araluen where a Ship is waiting for you. I have sent a messenger to Castle Araluen to brief Horace and he will be ready when you arrive."Crowley said

"Okay we'll pack straight away then get a few hours of shut eye before hitting the road" Halt said ending the conversation.

"I'd better get going the gathering isn't going to organise itself." Crowley said throwing the dregs of his coffee in the fire.


	2. Chapter 2

Second chapter is up hope you like it. R&R please

Gilan got back to see his stuff packed and Crowley waiting for him by the camp fire.

After the situation was explained to him he quickly set out his bed roll and slept before being woken up by Halt and a very sleepy looking Will. When Gilan had finished packing away the few things he had taken out Crowley approached.

"Good Luck on your journey and safe travels. Halt be home soon and keep an eye on Will we all know what happened the last time he was in Skandia."

"Thanks Crowley and I will" Halt replied evenly with just a hint of a smile.

The journey to Castle Araluen was fast at the Ranger's forced march pace. When they finally arrived Horace was waiting for them and he looked more than a little surprised at the time it had taken them to get there. Normally it would have taken anywhere from three to four day to get there from the gathering grounds but it only took them two days to get here. In truth Halt had been pushing them hard only resting every four hours to feed and water the horses and then look after themselves, have some cold rations and curl up into their cloaks to sleep.

"You guys look a mess" Horace said with a hint of sarcasm and relief at his friends' safety.

"Well so would you" Will replied in the same tone.

Will couldn't take it much longer and burst out laughing, Horace joined him a moment later and they both stood there just laughing their heads off. Halt and Gilan watched this exchange carefully and quietly. They both knew the value of friendship and neither of them wanted to interrupt, now Horace turned on them; "Halt, Gilan welcome" Horace greeted them warmly.

"Horace" Halt replied shaking the knights' hand.

"Horace" Gilan said doing the same as Halt.

"Come on. We'd better get you cleaned up so we can get to Skandia." Horace said smiling wide at the sight of Will, Halt and Gilan.

Cassandra was discussing some things with her ladies maids and was surprised to see Will. Halt, Gilan and Horace walking across the hall to greet her.

"You guys look a mess. What have you been doing?" she asked as she excused herself.

"That's exactly what I said but I already know the answer to the question." Horace commented.

Cassandra just raised an eyebrow, "Well that's helpful" she then turned to the Rangers and continued "So what have you been doing?"

"Oh you know just riding through the night and not sleeping so we could get here and board a ship to Skandia." Will said his voice laced with sarcasm.

Again Cassandra just raised an eyebrow.

"You know if you keep doing that you could become a very good Ranger" Gilan said with a wide smile.

"You're as bad as Will" Halt said "Yes we're going to board a ship and travel to Skandia in order to help Erak" He added the last part to Cassandra to answer her question.

"Well good luck on your journey and Will, don't get into too much trouble" Cassandra said.

"See you later Evanlyn" Will said following the others out of the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

I know its been a while and I'm sorrry but here is the new chapter. It might be a little short and i am taking your advice to heart.

They were on their way to Skandia. Halt was leaning over the edge of the ship, emptying the contents of his stomach which was mainly coffee. After much begging from Horace, Gilan and Horace were sparring on the deck not so far from Halt. Will was trying to sneak up on Halt; he figured that since his mind was occupied he could finally manage the feat.

"Nice try Will" Halt whispered, before leaning over the rail again.

"How did you hear me? Every 5 seconds you're over the rail!" Will said, allowing a note of admiration in his voice.

"Will just because I'm a little bit distracted, do you really think I lose track of my surroundings?" Halt said, before he had to lean over the rail again.

"No, I suppose not" Will replied in kind, "But you have to admit I got pretty far before you noticed me"

"No Will, I've known you were there since you walked away from Gilan and Horace" With a sly grin Halt added, "Which was after you finished dozing over by the mast and after you, Gilan and Horace made fun of me to no end. Trust me I'm aware of everything you've done today"

Halt finally slumped on to the rail and Will took that as a sign that he was finished emptying the contents of his stomach into the ocean and ready for a talk. Gilan upon seeing Halt sitting on deck decided that the sparring session was over and it was time for a little talk with the others.

"What's going on?" He said in Wills ear who was looking in the distance.

AS Will started, Halt merely raised an eyebrow. Will was still recovering and Horace was rolling on the ground laughing so Halt decided to take a hand here. "You wouldn't think it was so funny if it happened to you Horace"

"No I wouldn't, but it didn't happen to me, did it?" Horace wheezed, still rolling around on deck.

Will had finally recovered and was glaring daggers at Horace, "I might have to teach him a lesson" He muttered to Gilan. Gilan's face spread out in an evil grin, "We'll do it tonight", he replied.


	4. Chapter 4

Hi, I'm back again. I'm gonna try to update everyday until school starts again. Had a little bit of trouble with this chapter. I couldn't figure out how to prank Horace, but i got there in the end. Hope you like it.

It was a dark night but much hotter than average, with that in mind the small company from Araluen had decided to sleep on deck. As Horace lay he had a feeling that someone was watching him, he turned towards where his friends were laying and saw them breathing evenly and deeply, he sighed and passed it off as his imagination. He fell asleep almost immediately looking forward to beating Gilan in their sparring match tomorrow. About five minutes after Horace had fallen asleep the three Rangers rose and headed to do their designated assignments. During dinner that night Halt, Gilan and Will had secretly made a plan of how best to prank the tall warrior. Halt was to find Horace's sword and shield while Will and Gilan were gathering Horace's bed roll ready to move. Halt returned with the weapons and went to wake Gunder. They had passed a small island before dinner and Will had convinced Gunder to take part in this prank. When everything was prepared and they had silently bumped into the island; Will, Halt and Gil had gently lifted Horace's bed roll and placed it on the beach. When morning came they would complete the second stage of the prank.

Will quietly crept up on the sleeping figure and positioned his mouth next to his ear, "IS IT FUNNY NOW?!", Horace woke with a start only to see that he and all his belongings were on some beach with no one in sight except for Will.

"Will" he breathed, but now Will was rolling on the ground laughing his head off and out of the shadows stepped Gil and Halt. "What did you do that for? Why am I on a beach? And where is the ship?"

"Oh we help you have a little move" Gil said while holding his sides. Will and Gil couldn't contain their laughter at the sight of Horace's face but the real surprise lay with Halt, he was laughing softly.

"Is it funny when it happens to you?" Will asked

"No. Okay I understand why you woke me up like that but what I don't understand is why I'm on this island." Horace replied, glaring at each Ranger in turn.

"Oh its quite a good metaphor, you see when I snuck up on Will yesterday he was in his own little world, when he snuck up on you today so were you, literally." Gilan said, still wheezing with laughter.

"Horace you'd better wipe that stupid look off your face before my apprentices drop dead with laughter" Halt called to him brightly.

"Okay let's get back to the ship" Will said, like Gil wheezing with laughter.

After they were all sitting comfortably onboard the ship, with steaming cups of coffee, Horace asked the question that had been on his mind for awhile. "How did you come up with it?"

"Oh it was simple, Gil and I were just gonna sneak up on you but Halt heard us planning and made it that one step better, He suggested that we leave you on the island and hide until night fall when we would sail out and get you. But Gil was the one who suggested that we put it together. While we were planning Halt figured out the metaphor and we polished it off with Gunder." Will said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Well it was a little different, but that's about it" Gil added, cheekily.

"If you are quite finished, we're here" Halt called from the rail.

"How the devil did he get over there without us noticing?" Horace asked wide eyed, all the others could do was shrug.


End file.
